Vehicle



April 20, 1937. S ITH I 2,078,034

VEHICLE Filed April 24, 1936 e Sheets-Sheet 1 iNVENTQR: SYDNEY SMITH ,wz e k A ril 20, 1937'. s SWTH 2,078,034

VEHICLE Filed April 24, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR', SYDNEY SMITH firronnsvs S. SMITH April 20, 1937.

VEHICLE 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 24, 1936 INvENTQR: SflDNEY SMITH FITTORNEYS April 20,1931. 8mm I 2,078,034

VEHICLE Filed April 24, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR: SYDNEY SMITH ga v FITTORNEIS April 20,1937. YSLSMVIITH Q I 2,078,034

IN ENTOQ: 70mm un-r" FITToR Hey s- April 20, i937,

VEHICLE Filed A il 24, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR: yonn .SMun-a .i ilg a v gr nv'rdnuews I 5. SMITH 2,078,034

5. SMITH Z,b78 ,034

VEHICLE April 20, 1937.

Filed April 24, 1936 9 SheetsSheet 8 FIG/O INVENTOR: v SYDNEY SMITH 56; v nrromwsys s. SMITH VEHICLE April 20, 1937.

Filed April 24, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 FIG. ll;

83 um w I N V E T O R 3 Svomav SMITH BY: L Hrrohmsvs Patented Apr. 20, 1937 v I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 24, 1936, Serial No. 76,152 In Great Britain January 18, 1935 x 9 Claims. (01. 180- 13) This invention relates to improvements in ve- 23 supporting an outer annulus 24 adapted to hicles, and particularly concerns drive means operate the clutch withdrawal levers 25. therefor of the kind including an engine or driv- The clutch'operating lever or member is piving unit, coupled or geared to speed reduction or oted at 26 to the cover 20 and is provided with a change speed gearing mounted immediately befollower or crank 21 adapted to engage a prolow or in or at the base of said engine or driving jection 28 on the sleeve 2| to move the latter unit, and a transmission shaft or transmission upon the boss 22 to release the clutch. The usual shafts driven by or from said gearing and adapted springs 29 are provided for engaging the clutch to transmit the drive to the driving wheel or when the withdrawal mechanism is released.

wheels of the vehicle. 7 The sleeve 18 is connected. by chain gearing to The object of the invention is to provide genchange speed gearing mounted in the base of the erally improved drive means of this kind. cylinder block near the rear end thereof and the Referring to the drawings:- sleeve 18' is formed or provided with teeth 30 for Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front of an engagement with the chain 3| meshing with furautomob'ile vehicle incorporating drive means ther teeth on the wheel 32'on the shaft 33 supaccording to this invention. ported in bearings 34 carried by the cylinder Figure 2 is a plan view. of the same. block.

Figure 3 shows the same'in front elevation. 0n the shaft 33 is mounted the constant mesh Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the wheel 35 gearing with the wheel 36 on the' drive unit. counter-shaft 31 supported in bearings 38. v Upon Figure 5 is a sectional plan view of same. the counter-shaft 31 are mounted further gears Figure 6 is a sectional end elevation. 39 and 40 for meshing engagement respectively V Figures 7 and 8 are perspective views of a modi with gears 41 and 42 mounted slidably but nonfied stay member. rotatably on the splined shaft 44.

Figure 9 is a front elevationof a modified con- Ihe rearward end of the shaft 44 is reduced in struction. diameter and engages within a bearing in the Figure 10 shows in section the construction of forward end of the shaft 33, whilst the forward the combined steering, driving and spring mountend of the shaft 44 is supported in further hearing for the front wheel axle of same. ings 45 in transverse webs in the outer casing. Figure 11 is a perspective view of one axle hous- The gear M can be slidden axially upon the ing, shaft 44 by means of a selector lever 43 and can Figure 12 shows to an enlarged scale a detail be engaged either with the wheel 39 for a lower of the steering, driving and spring mounting. gear forward drive or with a reverse pinion 41 In Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawto provide a reverse drive.

ings the invention is shown, as applied to an The gear 42 can be slidden upon the shaft '35 automobile vehicle of the front'wheel drive type 44 by means of a further selector lever 48 and and the engine or driving unit is of the usual movement in one direction engages the gear 42 internal combustion type and comprlsesacylinder with the gear 40, whilst movement in the oppoblock 1 in the cylinders of which are mounted site direction engages the direct drive teeth 49 pistons 8 connected by connecting rods 9 to a with teeth 59 on the constant mesh wheel 35. crankshaft l0 supported in bearings H, l2 and Each lever 46 and 48 is provided with-a boss l3 provided in the cylinder block. 5| slidably, mounted on a rod 52 supported in To the rear end of the crankshaft projecting the outer casing and the levers are selectively through the bearing i3 is secured a flywheel l4 operated by means of an arm 53 on a selector with which is associated aclutch I5. rod 54 which can be moved axially and-also ro- .The clutch p ate has a splined connection tatedupon its axis in hearings in the casing.

at H to a sleeve l8 rotatable mountedupon the o t forward end of t haft 44 is tcrankshaft. ed a bevel pinion 55 gearing with a ring bevel The rear end of the crankshaft engages in a- 53 adapted to drive a pair of transmission shafts hearing IS in a cover 20 secured 'to the rear end 51 through differential gearing mounted at 5B. of the cylinder block and the clutch operating Each shaft 51 transmits the drive to one of mechanism includes a sleeve 2| slidably mounted the front road wheels 59 through universal upon the boss 22 in which is mounted the bearing joints 63 and each shaft extends through and 19. Upon the sleeve 2| is mounted a ball bearing is enclosed by a hollow housing 6| bolted or otherwise secured to the unit.

Oil retaining devices the side of the casing of Helically' coiled springs 64 are provided on the engine by a pair 98 as shown in Figure 2.

. i9 adaptedat engine casing 7 wheel arms 65. The

pins 63 above and below the arms 62 to provide independent springing for permit movement of the wheels relative to the housings GI.

The drive means according to this invention are combined with a front wheel drive unit of the kind covered by my U. S. patent application serially numbered 693,299, now Patent No. 2,049,474, the engine being mounted between a pair of arms 95 each engaged at its rear end with the body of the vehicle through a flexible or resilient connection 56 permitting relative movement between the front wheel unit and the body about an axis extending transversely across the latter.

Each arm 65 extends through rubber bushes 61 in bosses on the corresponding housing BI and each housing is tied to the casing of the of rearwardly inclined tie rods In Figures 7 and 8 is illustrated an alterna-- tive form of stay for use in place of the tie rods 98, this stay comprising a sheet metal pressing the end 89 for attachment to the and forked at the other end 8| for connection to the housing GI. is strengthened at this end 9| by means of sheet metal members 82 which distribute the stress applied to the stay.

n the cover 29 at the rear end of the engine casing is a rearwardly projected pivot 69 which engages in a flexible hearing or support on a bar or member I9 connected between the upon a triangulated support comprising the pivot 69 at the rear end and the two housings 6| secured one to each side of the outer casing near the front .end thereof.

The bearing for the pivot. comprises a ring rubber or other resilient within race members I2 riveted or bolted to the member 19, a further race being provided on a plate 95 bolted to the'pivot 99. The member III is flexibly mounted between the arms 95.

If desired a continuous ring. of rubber or other resilient material may be substituted for the balls II. v

The steering column ll steering box I is 19 upon further rubber balls II mmmted beeach. wheel and to The pressing engine is thus mounted tube 98 between a of the member IM and a a to the plate II9, this bracket 8 mounting for the front road wheels.

Each housing 86 is formed from sheet metal and at the end to be bolted to the casing for the differential gear this housing is flanged and provided with strengthening members 81 of successivelyreduced area. These members 81 strengthen and stifien the housing 86 at the point at which it is attached to the casing for the driving unit and the stepped arrangement has the eifect of distributing in a gradual manner to the casing any stress applied at such points.

Each housing86 is forked at its outer or projecting end and both the upper arm 88 and lower arm 89 of this-fork are stiifened by internal sheet metal members 99 sinuous outer edge as shown in of successively graduated area so any stress in a gradual manner to the housing.

A hole 9| is formed through the end of the lower arm 89 and through the sheet metal members 99 secured in such arm, but the upper arm 88 is provided with an end cap 92 adapted to be secured detachably by bolts 93 to the end of the arm to facilitate assembly. The housing is additionally-stiffened by sheet metal members 94 of substantially T section and secured one Figure and as to distribute at each side of the fork between the arms 88 and 89. The sheet metal members 81, 99 and 94 may be secured to the housing either by riveting, spot welding or in any other convenient manner.

Within the hole 9| is ins'erteda tube 95 having a flange 96 which abuts the underside of the arm 89 and this tube is secured in position by a ring nut 97 internally threaded and engaging -an externally threaded portion of, the tube 95.

slidably mounted within the tube 95 is a tube 98 within which is mounted a further and shorter tube 99 and these tubes 98 and 99 are adapted to be secured to a projecting spigot I99 provided on the underside of the member I 9| carrying the stub axle I92 for the front wheel I93.

A coiled spring I95 is provided around' the washer further washer I91 above the screwed ring 91 and a further spring I98 is disposed around the lower end of the tube 98 between a further washer I91 on the underside of the flange 96 and the flange of a bracket I99 bolted to the plate II9 carrying the brake mechanism.

This bracket is anchored to the lower end of the tube 99 by means of a, stud III'engaging in'a nut II2 welded within the end of the tube 98.

The member IN is provided on its upper surface with a further spigot H3 which engages in a tube 99 within a further in a manner similar tothe tubes 99 and 98 on the underside 'of the member I III.

The spigots I99. and H9 flt within the respective tubes 99 and are secured thereto in a convenient manner.

The tube -II4 engages slidably in a tube II5 secured in an outer tubular casing 6, which latteris spaced flanges casing.

stayed by a I 99 and bolted having a-flanged II'I suitably securedto the tubular The casing H6 is additionally bracket 8 similar to the bracket shaped with a- I96- at the underside tube I I4 arranged .tubes 4 the member IIII and the opening II 9 through which is slidable the outer casing' II6.

Two coiled springs are disposed around the tube Ill and within the tubular casing II6, these springs I20 and HI being separated by an annular member I22 which fits slidably in the annular space between the tube H5 and the interior of the tubular casing I I6.

The spring I2I abuts at an abutment flange I23, the spring I20 rests upon a washer I26 onthe upper side of the member IUI.

The springs or the exposed portions thereof are enclosed by easing members I25 formed by coiling spring metal strip in such-a manner that the turns or coils can collapse or telescope one into the other to permit movement of the spring, whilst at the same time protecting the latter from dirt or other materiaL' Within the tubular casing H6 is mounted. a shock absorbing unit comprising a piston I26 fixed to the lower end-of a tube I21 which ,is screwed at its upper end in a boss I28 in the cap I29 for the casing in position by a locking nut I30. I

Within the tube I21 is a rod I3I having at its lower end a longitudinal groove or passage I32 which can be aligned with a port I33 in the tube I21, the rod being locked in an adjusted position by a nut I34.

The piston I26 has holes or passages I35 adapted to be closed by a disc valve I36 and oil or other suitable fluid is provided within the and H5 so that the piston operates as a hydraulic shock absorber during movements of the wheel and the spring mounting including tubes 98 and IM.

Into the upper end of the tube Ill is screwed a closure disc I31 also provided with holes I38 adapted to be closed by a further disc valve I39 and movement of these valves I36 and I39 is limited by collars I46 fixed to the exterior of the tube I21.

when the wheel and the member IIlI carrying the stub axle rises in relation to the end of the housing 86 as, for example, when the wheel passes over an obstruction, the tubes 98 and H4 also move with the wheel and the fluid in the tube H4 is forced through the passages I35 and past the valve I36.

, On.downward or return movement of the wheel the valve I36 is closed and the rate at which the wheel can return is governed by the rate at which the fluid can leak to the underside of the piston I35 through the port I33 and the passage I32.

Thus, the rate of rebound of the wheel can be governed by adjusting the rod I3I relative to the tube I21 so as to move the passage I32 more or lessinto alignment with the port I33 andthe damping or shock absorbing effect can thus be regulated by suitable adjustment of the rod I3I. I

Rapid fluctuations of the wheel are damped out by trapping offluid between the piston and the closure I39 can open to allow fluid to pass to the upper I surface of the piston when pressure is removed from the valve I39, the latter prevents free flow of fluid through the passages I38 and into the tube 'II5 when the tube: III moves downwardly relative to the piston I26.

The interior of the tube .5 forms a reserve compartment for the fluid and is supplied through an inlet Ill but no substantial pressure is applied its'upper end against whilst the lower end of II6, this tube being fixed possible for a larly desirable disc I31 and whilst the valveto the fluid within this tube due to the action of the valve I39 for the closure member I31.

The piston and the tube II! are provided with external peripheral grooves and similar grooves are formed onthe interior of the bore through the closure member I31 so as to minimize the leakage of fluid.

The combined steering, driving and spring mounting for each front road wheel as above described provides an extremely effective but compact unit for attaching the front road wheels 'to the housings'86 and the construction has adequate strength due to the spaced supports provided by the bracketsl09 and II8 and the attachment between the arms 88 and 89 of t. the

housing and the tubes carried by the member IOI carrying the stub axle.

The springs permit adequate movement of the road wheels 'relative to'the housings 86 but are nevertheless disposed in an effective and compact manner, whilst ,the incorporation of the shock absorbing unit is advantageous both from-a point of view of operation and of providing a compact and relatively light arrangement.

The casing for the gearing thus occupies the position normally occupied by the oil sump of an ordinary internal combustion engine, and is enclosed on its underside to form a sump for the engine oil.

With internal combustion engines for. motor vehicles, it has hitherto been usual to provide different types of lubricating oil in the engine sump and in the casing for the reduction or change speed gearing, but the developments; which have taken place in production of lubricating oil have rendered it single type of oil to be used both in the engine sump and in the gear casing.

In the construction according to this invention, oil provided in the casing for the gearing serves for the lubrication both of the gearing and of the engine cylinders. I

Instead of connecting the crankshaft to the variable speed gearing by means of a chain connecting drive, gears may be used for this purpose, and if desired, such gears may be of spiral bevel, double helical, or worm and worm wheel type to reduce the noise of the drive.

. The ring bevel is positioned ofi centre in relation to the transverse centre line of the engine, and whilst this does not afiect the operation of the drive, it does permit the transmission shaft being approached as closely as possible to the rotational axis of the crankshaft to,provide an engine or drive unit of minimum tive height.

If desired, the final drive to the transmission shaft may comprisea worm and worm wheel, the latter being secured to the transmission shaft, and the worm being mounted on the end of the gearing. In this alternative, the worm wheel may be disposed in a position similar toftliat described above for the ring bevel. a

The construction described above is particuas drive means for a vehicle driving to the front wheels, or in cars withthe engine at the rear, since the engine is compact, and substantially the whole of the weight is located in or adjacent the axles for the wheels. It is thus possible to provide substantially the whole of the weight of the engine over the front wheels in front wheel drive as is desirable to ensure an efvehicle, whereas in a rear. engine drive there is -less space wasted or less overhang;

recent years in the possible effecthe centre of gravity of the drive unit is disposed behind the axis of the drive shafts.

the rear of the engine for connection to the rear of the reduction or other gearing, and in this construction the centre of gravity of the drive unit as a whole would be disposed in front of the axis of the drive shafts, and the ma um possible weight would be disposed over the drive axis to the front wheels, this being advantageous especially in commercial vehicles.

Whilst the invention is particularly applicable to a vehicle driving to the front wheels, it will be appreciated that it may be applied to a vehicle driving to the rear wheels, the engine and drive unit being then arranged at the rear of the vehicle with its centre of gravity either behind or in front of the axis of the drive shafts to the wheels, as will be obvious from the immediately preceding paragraphs relating to the arrange: ment of the centre of gravity of the engine relative to the driving axis.

The drive to the change speed gearing is pref- L erably such that at the side directed towards the engine, the gears on the shafts 31 and 44 rotate in such a manner that any metal from theengine bearings or other foreign material falling onto them is moved out of the throat between the two sets of gears, i. e. when the shafts 31 and 44 are rotating the teeth of the gears on each shaft move in the path of rotation outwardly of the plane between the two shafts and away from the teeth of the gears on the adjacent shaft. On the opposite orunderside of the gearing the. teeth of the gears move in conver 'ng paths and thus operate to move oil directly from thesump and between the intermeshing teeth of the change speed gears. n v

The construction according to the present in vention provides a self-contained drive unit-of; minimum possible effectivelength, since the reduction or change speed gearing and the "trans-' mission shaft or shafts are arranged all substantially within the length of the engine or cylinder block, and the unit construction described above permits an extremely rigid and efficient drive to be incorporated with the elimination of unnecessary'weight.

A singe oil pump maybe incorporated in the i drive unit and driven therefrom to feed oil to the engine, the gear box, and the driving axle from the.oil sump referred to above. When viewed from the front or back, the vertical plane containing the centre line of the crankshaft is disposed substantially centrally" of the engine block and the constant mesh shaft of the reduction gearing is mounted with its axis at one side of this plane, whilst the other shaft of the reduction gearing is arranged with its axis on the opposite side of the said plane.

.The change gearing may be of any other shitable form with gear trains to provide any desired speed ratios and' may be operated by any convenient control or gear operating mechanism. What Iclaim then is:-

1. Vehicle drive means including a driving unit, a casing for said unit, change speed gearing mounted in the lower portion of said casing, means coupling said gearing to said unit, a pair of transmission shaft housings mounted on opposite sides of said casing, transmission shafting extending in said housings, means for driving said shafting from said change speed gearing, a wheel mounting at the projecting end of each housing, a

road wheel carried by each of said mountings; means for driving said wheel from said shafting, If desired, however, the arrangement maybe I reversed by mounting the transmission shaft at each of said housings being forked at its projecting end, spring means permitting movement of each of said wheel mountings relative to its associated housing, said spring means incorporating, for each of said mountings, substantially vertically disposed guides supported in the forked end of said housing, springs associated with said guides and acting between said mounting and said housing and a shock absorbing device for each of said mountings and incorporated with said guides.

the projecting end of each housing for mounting on said housing a vehicle road wheel driven from said transmission shaft, a pair of arms extending longitudinally one at each side of said driving unit, each 'arm being connected at its forward end to one of said housings, means for supporting, from said arms, the end of said casing opposite to that at which said housings are mounted and means for connecting each of said arms at its rearward end resiliently to said body.

3. In a vehicle including a body, the provision of drive means including'a driving unit, a casing for-said unit, change speed gearing mounted in Y the. lower portion of said casing adjacent one end-thereof, gearing connecting said change speed gearing-to said drivingunit, a pair of transmis- "sion shaft-housings rigidly mounted on oppo- .-site 's ides-of said casing adjacent the forward end thereof, a pair oftransmission shafts extendingfone in each of said housings, transmission gearing connecting said shafts to said change speed gearing, combined steering,. driving and suspension means on the projecting end of housing for mounting on said housing a vehicle road wheel driven from said transmission shaft,

each side of said driving unit,- each arm being] connected at its forward end to one of said housings, a pivot on the rearward end of said casing, a bearing carried between said arms, said pivot engaging in said bearing to support the rear end of said casing from said arms and means for connecting each of said arms at its rearward.

end resiliently to said body.

4. In a vehicle including a body, the provision of drive means including a driving lmit, a, casing for said unit, change mead g aring'mmmted in the lower portion of said casing adjacent one end thereof, gearing said 'change speed sion means mounted on the projecting end of each housing for mounting on said housing a vehicle road wheel driven from the transmission shaft in said housing, a pair of arms extending longitudinally one at each side of said driving unit, each arm being connected at its forward end to one of said housings, a pivoton the rearward end of said casing, a member supported by said arms and extending transversely at the rear of said casing, a bearing carried by said member, said pivot engaging in said bearing to support the rear end of said casing from said arms and means for connecting each of said arms at its rearward end resiliently to said body.

5. Vehicle drive means including a driving unit, a casing for said unit, change speed gearing mounted in the lower portion of said casing adjacent one end thereof, gearing connecting said change speed gearing to said driving unit, a pair of transmission shaft housings rigidly mounted on opposite sides of said casing adjacent the forward end thereof, a pair of transmission shafts extending one in each of said housings, transmission gearing connecting said shafts to said 7 change speed gearing, spring suspension means mounted at the projecting end of each housing for mounting on said housing a vehicle road wheel driven from the transmission shaft in said housing, a pair of arms extending longitudinally one at each side of said driving unit, each arm being connected at its forward end to one of said housings, a pivot on the rearward end of said casing, a bearing carried between said arms, said pivot engaging in said bearing to support the rear end of said casing from said arms and resilient connecting means between each of said arms and the body of the vehicle;

6. Vehicle drive means including a driving unit, a casing for said unit, change speedgearing mounted in the lower portion of said casing adjacent one end thereof, gearing connecting said change speed gearing to said driving unit, a pair of transmission shaft housings rigidly mounted on opposite sides of said casing adjacent the forward end thereof, a pair of transmission shafts extending one in each of said housings, transmission gearing connecting said shafts to said change speed gearing, combined steering, driving and suspension means on the projecting end of each housing for mounting on said housing a vehicle road wheel driven from the transmission shaft in said housing, a pair of arms extending longitudinally one at each side of said. driving unit, each arm being connected at its forward end to one of said housings, a pivot on the rearward end of said casing, a member supported by said arms and extending transversely at the rear of said casing, a bearing carried by said member, said pivot engaging in said bearing to support the rear end of said casing from said arms and resilient connecting means between each of said arms and the body of the vehicle.

'7. In a vehicle the provision of drive means including a driving unit, a casing for said unit, change speed gearing mounted in the lower portion of said casing, means coupling said gearing to said unit, a pair of transmission shaft housings rigidly secured one to each of two opposite sides of said casing, a pair of transmission shafts extending one in each of said housings, means for driving said shafts from said change speed gearing, a wheel mounting at the projecting end of each of said shafts, a road wheel on each of said mountings and adapted to be driven by said shaft, guides at the projecting end of each of said housings permitting substantially vertical relative movement between the latter and the mounting associated therewith, springs co-operating with said guides and acting between each of said mountings and the end of the associated housing and a shock absorbing device for each of said mountings and incorporated with said guides.

8. In a vehicle the provision of drive means including a driving unit, a casing for said unit, change speed gearing mounted in the lower portion of said casing, means coupling said gearing to said unit, a pair of transmission shaft housings rigidly secured one to each of two opposite sides of said casing, each of said housings being forked at its projecting end, a pair of transmission shafts extending one on each of said housings, means for driving said shafts from said change speed gearing, a combined steering, driving and suspension at the projecting end of each of said shafts, a road wheel on each of said mountings and adapted to be driven by said shaft, spring means permitting substantially vertical movement of each of said mountings relative to its associated housing, said spring means incorporating for each of said mountings, substantially vertically disposed guides supported in the forked end of said housing, springs associated with said guides and acting between said mounting and said housing and a shock absorbing device for each of said mountings and incorporated with said guides.

' 9. Vehicle drive means including a driving unit, change speed gearing mounted below said driving unit, means coupling said change speed gearing to said driving unit, a casing for said driving unit, a pair of sheet metal transmissioin shaft housings secured one to each side of said casing, suspension means at the projecting end of each housing, a road wheel at the end of each housing and associated with said means, a plurality of re inforcing plates secured to each housing for reinforcing the end portion of said housing carrying said road wheel suspension means, said reinforcement plates being of different dimensions and arranged stepwise one upon the other to distribute the reinforcement over said housing, transmission shafting extending through said housings to drive said road wheels and means coupling said shafting to said change speed gearmg.

SYDNEY SMITH. 

